The Winters Tale' at the End of Summer
by EmmaMary
Summary: A birthday, a plan, a man named Shakespeare, and two people who we all know are in love. RHr


**My first under my new SN, I used to be niem. This is something I was bored and wrote, I will have a lot of fics up in the next 3 weeks. Maybe I will be inspired to write an XMAS one! **

**HAPPY HOLIDAYS!**

Disclaimer on my user page but I don't own anything.

* * *

"I think I'm going to get her a book"

"Well that's creative" Harry spat

"Well she likes books" Ron argued

"Really, I never would have guessed"

Harry and Ron sat in the boys dormitories the night before the first Hogsmade trip of the year. Hermione had told them she would not be going; she claimed to have a lot of school work to get ahead on. Of course Hermione never went on the first trip of the year; she had to give her boys time to buy her birthday presents.

"What is up with you" Ron said obviously annoyed

"It's just, well If I gave her a book it would be fine…"

"But I can't"

"Listen to me"

"Fine"

"I can give her a book because she is my friend and I know she loves books…" Harry could see Ron wanted to argue but he held up his hand and continued " but you can't give her_ just _a book cause you are in love with this girl"

"I am not" Ron huffed

"You always say that, every time I bring it up. You know I am right"

"No'

"Ron"

"Even if I was, it's not like it matters, I doubt she feels, I mean, _would feel_ the same anyway."

"It does matter, she does, and you are in love with her"

With that Ron grumbled and turned out his light.

**

* * *

**

"So I think we should split up and shop on our own"

"Okay, sure" Ron agreed and he and Harry headed off in different directions.

After about three hours Ron and Harry met up at the three broomsticks for butterbeer.

"So what did you get her" Ron asked his best friend while sipping the foam off the top of his drink

"Theses really nice quills with _HG_ engraved on them and a reusable indestructible ink bottle with her initials too, and some sugar quills."

"Wow, I beet she'll love them"

"I hope, what did you get her?"

"Nothing"

Harry waited for Ron to emphasize but he didn't.

"Nothing?"

"Not yet" Ron noticed the quizzical on Harry's face "Don't worry Harry, I have it covered"

"I hope so"

**

* * *

**

September 19th came and Hermione received a wide variety of different presents. Most people gave Hermione their gifts whenever they saw her first, but when Ron saw her in the morning she had just opened Harry's gift and was thanking him for it, Ron just walked up told her happy birthday and gave her a hug.

He was acting like that the whole day, pretending to be unaware that he was doing anything wrong. He felt bad because Hermione seemed disappointed, but he hoped she wouldn't be when it came time to give her his gift.

She was on her way down to dinner when Ron spotted her. Quietly he walked up behind her just as she was about to enter the great hall and wrapped and arm around her waist and put a hand over her mouth pulling her away form the door. She let out a sequel, that was muffled by his hand of course, and tried to squirm away. Ron softly whispered

"shhhh, It's me Mione" and She immediately became quiet. He dropped the hand away from her mouth and loosened his grip on her waist so she could turn around and face him; she put one hand on his chest to steady herself and glared into his eye angrily.

They were both very aware of just how close they really were to one another.

"What did you do that for" Hermione spat.

"SHHH" Ron said letting go of her waist, grabbing her hand instead. "Follow me"

Despite being very annoyed at him, Hermione obeyed.

"Where are we going? We are _not_ supposed to be out here at night."

"You want your birthday present don't you"

"What" She asked, but he didn't have to answer, they were standing at the edge of the lake, on the ground was a small blanket that was spread out for them to sit on and a basket had been set atop the blanket, and was open to revel sandwiches, crisps and soda.

"For me" Hermione stuttered.

"For you"

"Ron, I don't know what to say, this is so sweet of you"

"So unlike me I know" She tuned and gave him a frown.

"I didn't say that"

Ron just shrugged. "Well you wanna eat"

"Sure I'm starving"

The night was nice, the stars were bright and the night was cool as the summer was drawing to a close. The comfort the two teens found in each other was not at all awkward, talking and laughing with one another was a breath of fresh air from the usual bickering they brought upon themselves.

Once they finished eating and Hermione had just recovered from a fit of laughter over something Ron had said she realized it was late and they should be heading back soon.

"Thank you Ron, this is my favorite gift I've gotten all day"

"Wait there is something else."

"Your not taking me on a broom ride, are you, because I…" Ron cut her off before she could finish.

"I said a gift Mione"

She smiled as he reached into the basket and pulled out none other than a small book.

"A book"

"Not just a book, a muggle book" Hermione's face lit up at this. He handed her the book and she studied it intently. It was small, like a book she could pocket at any time. The cover was bound in deep crimson velvet that was soft to the touch, the letters were imbedded into the flexible cover and the gold color of the swirly letters shone in the moonlight.

"The Winter's Tale" She whispered more to herself than to Ron

"It's by Shakespeare, and it's a play, of course you know who Shakespeare is. I've seen you reading his stuff."

Hermione smiled at his nervous rambling.

"The book is kind of dark, and it doesn't really remind me of you or anything, but one of the characters names is Hermione and I figured it's an unusual name, its pretty, I love your name, but its unusual, plus this is the special edition, with side notes and translations, not that you need translations, you'd do fine without it, but ya know, if I were to borrow it or something they would come in handy"

Before Ron could say another word Hermione pressed a finger softly to his lips.

"Ron I love it, you have no idea how much this means to me, thank you" She smiled and looked lovingly into his eyes "where did you find this, surely not in Hogsmade.

"No actually, apparently you know the lady at that small bookstore well. When I went in I couldn't find anything I wanted to get you and she came up and asked if I needed help, I told her I didn't know what to get my friend for her birthday. She asked if my name was Ron and if I was looking for a present for 'the lovely Hermione', how she knew I was your friend I don't know" Hermione blushed at this part, her and the owner of the bookstore had had a couple of long conversations before, but Ron didn't seem to notice. "She said she had a good idea but it was s Muggle book, she gave me the name and I talked to a couple of people and found out that a first year Ravenclaw's parents were Muggles and owned a bookstore, the rest is history"

"All that for me"

"Anything for you" he smiled as his ears turned red, lucky they were hidden by his hair.

He stood up and then helped her up as well. He folded the blanket and draped it over his arm and picked up the basket with the same hand. They began walking back up to the castle, Hermione stroking the velvet of her new book. There arms would occasionally bump against one another, making Ron's ears turn red and Hermione's cheeks twinge pink. At one point there hands brushed too, but instead of just letting it pass Hermione grabbed Ron's hand and intertwined her fingers in his own, and she was very thankful he was helping and not pulling away. He looked at her and she smiled, he returned her smile and gave her hand a squeeze, he decided to be a true Gryffindor and lowered his head slightly, kissing Hermione's forehead. She smiled at this and the two walked hand and hand back up to the castle. They both knew this wasn't a one time thing, there would be a lot more kisses and hand holding in the future.

This was defiantly the best birthday Hermione had ever had.


End file.
